Wednesday, December 16, 2009

R.I.P. Roy E. Disney

On Wednesday December 16, 2009, Roy Disney, the nephew of Walt Disney, passed away from a year-long battle with stomach cancer at the age of 79.

You can read the details in many places (see HERE for an excellent obituary) but I felt it important to mark the sad news here, as it's due in no small way to his continuing the work of his Uncle Walt, that fairy tales remain popular today. It's another great loss for the Disney Company during 2009.* At least he was able to see the return of a popular hand drawn fairy tale film with "The Princess and the Frog", which is where the company really found it's legs and began its great legacy (with "Snow White").

Roy with Mickey, Minnie and his wife (since 2008) Leslie DeMeuse-Disneywho also shares his love of sailing and film

Roy E. Disney loved animation. His fight to keep the company true to his Uncle's intentions is well known through the large numbers of Disney 'cast members' (employees) and beyond but what is less well known is that he was also an avid ocean sailor and contributed greatly to the sport right through to the Olympic level (you can read more about that HERE). His ashes will be scattered at sea after a private funeral.

My condolences to his family. He will be greatly missed.

* Disney lost another key member of the 'family' earlier this year when Wayne Allwine, who was the voice of Mickey Mouse for 32 years, passed away from complications with diabetes in May (his wife, Russi Taylor, carries on voicing Minnie Mouse as she has since 1986).